Suggested reading:
An old book called Riot After Riot, written by MJ Akbar. It will
serve as a handbook on how to feel the pulse if a place is slowly
spiralling towards a riot like situation. He goes from town to
town that have been hit by riots in to 70s and 80s. Hindu Vs
Muslims, Dominant caste Vs Lower caste, etc. and try to find
out what Indian love to kill Indians.

If you want to know what it feels like in real time, follow the
news from Hyderabad these days.